GMA, Ayala Foundation team up to honor the works of Dr. Jose Rizal

THE production and creative team of GMA Network’s top-rating, massively popular series Maria Clara at Ibarra take part in the latest #Magingmagiting advocacy program of the Ayala Foundation Inc. which highlights the heroism of Dr. Jose Rizal.

On December 29, Ayala Foundation premiered on its Facebook page the seventh edition of the Digital Magiting Conference with the theme Rizal Revealed: Muling Kilalanin ang Magiting na Bayani.

Present during the recorded digicon were GMA senior vice president for entertainment group Lilybeth G. Rasonable, vice president for drama Cheryl Ching-sy, Maria Clara at Ibarra creative consultant Suzette Doctolero, series director Zig Dulay, and lead star Dennis Trillo who plays the role of Ibarra.

Rasonable recounts the moment they pitched the exceptional concept of Maria Clara at Ibarra for the first time: “One of the most nerve-wracking processes para sa aming mga producers ay ang mag-present sa top management lalo na kapag ang konsepto ay kakaiba.

But I am proud to say that those concepts were the ones greenlighted by our bosses. And we thank our top management because that is the reason why the Entertainment Group has been able to present a really wide range of topics.”

Ching-sy also shares how they came up with the story of a Gen Z who enters the world of Noli Me Tangere: “At that time we were looking for material that will challenge the drama department in all aspects of production. It was Atty. Annette Gozon-valdes who came up with the idea. Sabi niya, ‘Why don’t we do a retelling of Noli and El Fili?’ And then Suzette Doctolero took the challenge and she added the element of Gen Z to resonate with the younger audience.”

Dulay narrates the main factor for his accepting this groundbreaking project: “Noong sinabihan ako na irireimagine ang obrang ito, sobrang saya ko kasi sino lang ba ’yung nabibigyan ng pagkakataon para makaambag sa bansa gamit ang sining. Super favorite ko ang Noli at El Fili dahil bukod sa great love story nina Maria Clara at Ibarra, itinataas niya rin ang konsepto ng pag-ibig maging sa bayan at sa sarili bilang isang Pilipino. Sa isang henerasyon kung saan usong-uso ang fake news, ang saya sa pakiramdam na magtanghal ng ganitong klase ng teleserye.”

Trillo, on the other hand, reiterates that their series is a significant way to commemorate the bravery of Rizal: “magandang pagkakataon ito na ituro sa kanila ang mga likha ni Rizal at malaman ng bawat Pilipino na siya ay isang halimbawa na dapat tularan, lalo sa kanyang adhikain para sa bayan at kabataan. Hindi siya natakot kahit ganito ka-dark ang kwentong isinulat niya kaya’t na-expose ang sitwasyon ng mga Pilipino noong panahon ng pananakop ng mga Kastila.”

Viewers of the digicon are primarily public school teachers. Hence, GMA Network and Ayala Foundation aim to inspire them to see Rizal in a new light and therefore share with their students a newfound enthusiasm for his novels.

“Each and every one of us sa broadcast industry has that responsibility to promote love of country,” Rasonable said.

Dennis Trillo believes that through his craft, he can manifest the patriotism of Rizal: “Pinatunayan ni Rizal ang kagitingan niya sa pamamagitan ng paglaban kung ano ang tama at makatarungan. Malaki ang role namin para ipakita sa kabataan ang ganda ng bansa at mga katangian natin para mas lalo nilang mahalin ang pinagmulan nila.”

Maria Clara at Ibarra airs weeknights at 8 pm on GMA, and at 9:40 pm on GTV. Viewers abroad can also catch the program via GMA Pinoy TV.